High Class Research Articles

Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Third Edition: Update of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines.

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Infants, Children, and Adolescents in 2019: Some Overdue Progress, Many Remaining Questions, and Exciting Ongoing Work in the Field of Traumatic Brain Injury ResearchIn this Supplement to Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, we are pleased to present the Third Edition o

Landslide susceptibility mapping on the islands of Vulcano and Lipari (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy), using a multi-classification approach on conditioning factors and a modified GIS matrix method for areas lacking in a landslide inventory

In areas prone to landslides, the identification of potentially unstable zones has a decisive impact on the risk assessment and development of mitigation plans. Active volcanic islands are particularly prone to instability phenomena as they are always in the early stage of dynamic unrest. A historical example of slope instability is the landslide which occurred in 1988 along the northwestern flank of La Fossa Cone on the island of Vulcano (Aeolian Archipelago). Based on this past activity, a susceptibility assessment using the bivariate technique of the GIS matrix method (GMM) was carried out on the islands of Lipari and Vulcano. Nevertheless, this case is congruent with those where a part of the surface was not assigned to stable or unstable areas, since a comprehensive inventory was only available for the island of Lipari. Some of the implemented steps of the susceptibility matrix method were modified to enable the model developed in the Lipari area to be applied to both islands. Considering the important role that the classification of conditioning factors plays in susceptibility analysis, the degree of association with landslide spatial distribution for the multiple classifications of each factor was assessed. Furthermore, an innovative clustering approach based on text and data mining techniques (self-organizing map neural network) was applied and compared with a heuristic classification of the categorical variable of lithology units. In addition to the extensive contingency analysis, up to 14 factor combinations were submitted to the GMM, validated and compared so as to select the one that best explains the susceptibility zoning. The effects of these incorporated processes in the previous phase of classification were discussed and preliminary susceptibility map was generated for both islands. After the validation of the susceptibility assessment, it is shown that the highest classes (High and Very High) matched 76.9% (relative accuracy) of the test inventory, while the lower susceptibility classes (Very Low and Low) resulted in a degree of fit of 14.39% (relative error).

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Kidney Transplantation under Urgency Priority Condition

Background: In several countries, patients with end-stage renal disease who are ineligible for dialysis are considered urgency priority (UP) for kidney transplantation (KT) through distinct allocation rules. There are scarce published data on clinical features and outcomes after KT of these patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed and compared demographic and clinical pretransplant characteristics and outcomes after KT of all patients transplanted under UP allocation in a single Brazilian transplant center from January 10 to March 16 (n = 74) and 1: 1 patients transplanted under standard allocation in the same period (n = 74). A propensity score (PS) matching analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for death-censored graft loss. Results: UP KT group presented higher percentage of women (58.1 vs. 33.8%, p = 0.005), higher class I (22.2 ± 32.9 vs. 13.1 ± 25.3%, p = 0.027) and class II panel reactive antibodies (11.5 ± 24 vs. 5.2 ± 19.1%, p = 0.002), higher HLA mismatches (4.9 ± 0.9 vs. 3.7 ± 1.2, p < 0.001), higher percentage of retransplants (27 vs. 4.1%, p < 0.001), and spent longer time on dialysis off the waiting list (WL; 54.5 ± 52.5 vs. 31.2 ± 29.0 months, p = 0.03). After transplantation, UP KT patients presented longer hospital stay (29.3 ± 35.7 vs. 18.5 ± 19.5 days, p = 0.003) and inferior death-censored graft survival at 3 years (82 vs. 95.8%, log rank = 0.016), with 33.3% of graft losses due to vascular thrombosis. In PS-matched multivariable analysis, UP status hazard ratios (HR 4.791, 95% CI 1.052–21.722, p = 0.042) and donor age (HR 1.071, 95% CI 1.003–1.145, p = 0.041) were independent risk factors for death-censored graft loss. Conclusion: Patients transplanted under UP status remained a longer time on dialysis off the WL, suggesting that long-term dialysis led to exhaustion of accesses. After transplantation, outcomes are inferior and UP status was a risk factor for graft loss. These results point to the need for local policies to encourage and monitor the early referral to KT.

“Top-down” design methodology utilizing abstraction of mechanical interfaces

CAD systems are a key design tool. As technology evolves, they provide greater functionality and solve tasks that are more complex. Consequently, the question of their effective use is becoming increasingly important. The present paper discusses the "top-down" design method. During the initial stages of a design process, the geometric description of the components is missing or it is not complete which calls into question the use of CAD. The present work proposes a “top-down” methodology that includes CAD in the early stages of the design process. The discussed methodology takes advantage of the object-oriented approach. There is originated a hierarchical scheme of objects, each of which inherits the methods and attributes of its higher class. This allows design information to spread throughout the whole design process as well as its integration. With an implementation of this model, CAD models of an assembly and its parts can be created on the basis of the information available when the product concept is being developed. The geometric description recorded in the CAD model elaborates as the design project evolves. In this way, the formation of the CAD model goes hand in hand with the clarification of the product design.

The Distributional Effects of Peer and Aspirational Pressure

We develop a theoretical framework where the cross-sectional distributions of hours, earnings, wealth and consumption are determined jointly with a set of expenditure targets defining peer and aspirational pressure for members of different social classes. We show existence of a stationary socio-economic equilibrium, under idiosyncratic stochastic productivity and socio-economic class participation. We calibrate a model belonging to this framework using British data and find that it captures the main patterns of inequality, between and within the social groupings. We find that the effects of peer pressure on within group inequality differ between groups. We also find that wealth and consumption inequality increase within groups who aspire to match social targets from a higher class, despite a reduction in within-group inequality in hours and earnings.

Microbial Quality of Common Restaurant Foods: Food Safety Issue in Bangladesh

Street and restaurant foods play an important role in people’s daily food options as well as their regular nutritional requirements are dependent on these foods, as their ever-growing busy schedule take away the opportunity to eat homemade food. Due to expedient availability, these street and restaurant foods are one of the primary food options for city people. Over the years, many food-borne diseases have been reported due to contaminated non-homemade food consumption. This study was conducted to analyze the microbiological quality of foods which are sold in street side food premises, general restaurants and higher class restaurants. This research study observed, and analyzed the microbiological quality of thirteen most commonly consumed food items of street side food premises, general restaurants and higher class restaurants from Kushtia and Jhenidah town in south-west region of Bangladesh. Higher percentages of microbial contamination were observe in street side food premises (76.92% for gram-positive bacteria, 69.23% for gram-negative bacteria and 61.54% for fungi). It has been found out that, instant cooked food items showed less microbial load than raw or preserved food. Higher class restaurants foods showed less microbial load than street side food premises and general restaurants. This study specifically highlights the level of microbial presence found in various available non-homemade foods. Finally, this study recommends some preventive measures which the government and food-maker together should follow, and also maintain the standard hygienic procedure to prepare, cook and handle foods. Implementation of such measures, rules and regulations on street food vendors and restaurant foods are extremely crucial to maintain the hygienic condition as well as to avoid such spreading of harmful organisms through consumption of contaminated foods.

PENGEMBANGAN PETUNJUK PRAKTIKUM IPA BERBASIS KETERAMPILAN PROSES UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR

This study aims to develop science practices instruction based on science critical thinking skill and tomeasure the effectiveness of the product toward critical thinking skill of elementary students in Gerunggang. The type of this research is research and development. The research instruments were documentation, expert sheet validation, observation sheet, feasibility sheet, and the test instrument of students’ critical thinking. The subjects of this study were elementary school students in Gerunggang. The data subjects in this study were elementary school students and teachers in higher class. Based on the results of the development using the steps from Timpuslitjaknov, which include: (1) needs analysis, (2) initial product development, (3) expert validation and revision, (4) smaller-scale field trials, and (5) larger-scale field trials. Depelopment study of science with the results of the feasibility test by 3 expert (media, material, and language) the results are very feasible, smaller-scale tests and larger-scale results with decent results. The effectiveness results of critical thinking skills are: 1) indicators provide simple explanations with N-Gain 0.40 medium category, 2) complete indicators with N-Gain 0.37 Medium category, 3) Indicators provide explanations with N-Gain 0.28 low category, so, it can easily be concluded that the result development of science practical instruction based on science critical thinking skill can enhance studnets’ critical thinking skill for elementary school students.

Some Thoughts on Michael Chwe’s „Jane Austen, Applied Game Theorist”

The article examines the decision-making components of Jane Austen’s six major novels as reconstructed in Michael Chwe’s book and his argument that Austen was a precursor of game theory. In her novels, Austen describes an abundance of strategic situations in the mating process within the British higher classes. Social constraints made mating within this world a tough game due to harsh punishments for failure, especially for women, and severe limitation on signaling interest or sympathy. Austen cleverly investigates this environment and reconstructs many aspects of strategic behavior that have their counterparts in formal concepts of game and decision theory. While she hasn’t made contributions to theory per se, she deserves being named a precursor of applied strategic thinking and an expert on a particular strategically sophisticated social environment.

Consideration of Three-Dimensional Attitude and Position Control for a Free-Floating Rigid Body Using Three Thrusters

The study examines the control algorithm of a three-dimensional attitude and position of a free-floating rigid body with three thruster forces in which the force directions are fixed with respect to the body. This study provides a theory to develop a control method of an underactuated satellite with the minimum thruster number. In the procedure, three switching controllers are used in conjunction with motion planning in the final angular-rate deceleration phase to individually control the six state variables to the target values. The switching controllers have a hierarchical structure by using invariant manifolds as switching surfaces. The state variables in higher class manifolds that include lower class ones are adjusted by repeatedly adding intentional disturbances while the lower class state variables are returned to the original values by using lower class invariant manifolds. This study describes methods to define the invariant manifolds and also the intentional disturbance for achieving the forementioned control strategy. Finally, the motion planning in the angular-rate deceleration phase from a remained single-axis rotation finalizes the six state values of the body to the target values. Numerical simulations verify the proposed method.

From science student to scientist: Predictors and outcomes of heterogeneous science identity trajectories in college.

This 5-year longitudinal study investigates the development of science identity throughout college from an expectancy-value perspective. Specifically, heterogeneous developmental patterns of science identity across 4 years of college were examined using growth-mixture modeling. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs (efficacy for science tasks, perceived competence in science) were modeled as antecedents, and participation in a science career after graduation was modeled as a distal outcome of these identity development trajectories. Three latent classes (High with Transitory Incline, Moderate-High and Stable, and Moderate-Low with Early Decline) were identified. Gender, race/ethnicity, and competence beliefs in the first year of college significantly predicted latent class membership. In addition, students in the two highest classes were significantly more likely to report being involved in science careers or science fields after college graduation than students in the Moderate-Low with Early Decline class. (PsycINFO Database Record

A zenei észlelés fejlettségének vizsgálata hagyományos és számítógépes tesztfelvétellel

Tanulmányunkban a zenei észlelés fejlettségét vizsgáltuk az általános iskola első évfolyamán. Célunk két eltérő adatfelvételi mód, a papír-ceruza alapú (PP) és a számítógépes tesztelés (CB) összevetése, melyhez korábbi, papír-ceruza alapú tesztünket adaptáltuk online, számítógépes felületre. Papír-ceruza alapon 130, számítógépes felületen pedig 155 tanuló vett részt a vizsgálatban. Eredményeink alapján mindkét mérőeszköz megbízhatósága megfelelő, a reliabilitásmutatók között a teljes tesztre vonatkozóan nincs szignifikáns különbség. A két teszt esetében kapott faktorstruktúrák összevethetőek, a hangmagasság észleléséhez és az időbeli feldolgozáshoz kapcsolódó készségek szerinti faktorok különíthetőek el. A zenei észlelés általános fejlettsége szerint azonban a két tesztváltozat között szignifikáns különbséget kaptunk, a papír-ceruza teszt alapján kimutatott fejlettség 8%p-al nagyobb (PP=58%p; CB=50%p). Kutatásunkat első lépésnek tekintjük, eredményeink alapján további, nagyobb mintán és magasabb évfolyamokra is kiterjedő kutatások szükségesek.

Implications of land use/cover dynamics on soil erosion potential of agricultural watershed, northwestern highlands of Ethiopia

BackgroundAssessment of soil loss rates is crucial to sustainably enhance the benefits of land resources and diminish the adverse impacts of land degradation thereby areas requiring immediate soil erosion management practices can be identified. The study aimed to examine the impacts of land cover dynamics on the spatiotemporal patterns of erosion hotspots. RUSLE factors were produced using GIS and remote sensing techniques.ResultsThe RUSLE model adapted to Ethiopian conditions was run for 2004 and 2014 where input data layers were overlaid. The results of the model showed clear patterns of changes characterized by gradual shifting of one erosion soil loss severity class into next higher class. There was a net increase in the total soil loss largely under the very high, low and very low soil loss severity classes by 8%, 21% and 9% despite a decline in other severity classes, respectively. It also revealed that more than two-third of the catchment has experienced soil losses rates higher than the tolerable value reported for Ethiopia over which agriculturists should be concerned.ConclusionsTherefore, the observed soil loss rate and sediment yield in the study catchment would lead to further ecological deterioration unless site-specific participatory watershed management practices are employed.

FIRE DESIGN OF CLT IN EUROPE

The fire safety design of cross-laminated timber (CLT or X-Lam) in Europe is governed by the Construction Products Regulation and its essential requirements, as for all other building products. These requirements are mandatory, to be used in all European countries. They include classification systems for reaction to fire of building products, fire resistance of building elements, and structural Eurocodes. The reaction-to-fire performance of CLT in accordance with the European classification system is specified. Higher classes can be reached by chemical treatments, but the durability of the reaction-to-fire performance needs to be fulfilled according to a new European system. The fire resistance design of CLT building elements is not included in Eurocode 5, the structural Eurocode for timber, but can be either tested according to European standards or calculated by using design methods being developed recently. This article provides information about both reaction to fire and fire resistance of CLT in Europe.

Efficiency Evaluation of Grain Harvesters of Different Types under North Kazakhstan Conditions

The problem of selecting certain types of grain combine harvesters is quite urgent now. This is because the agricultural manufacturers are struggling to make a right selection of a grain harvester of a definite firm or make due to the aggressive marketing from the manufacturers. (Research purpose) Efficiency evaluation of grain harvesters of different types under the North Kazakhstan weather conditions. (Materials and methods) Technical and economic research has been performed according to the standard methodology followed by data analysis. The calculation has been made for direct combining by 4, 5 and 6­-class harvesters equipped with wide­cut headers from leading domestic and foreign manufacturers. (Results and discussions) the authors have also calculated direct costs for thrashing of one ton of grain under favorable harvesting conditions, total costs for thrashing of one ton of grain including grain losses under unfavorable harvesting conditions, as well as total costs for thrashing of one ton of grain considering that 30% of grain is harvested under favorable harvesting conditions and 70% -­ under the ones. (Conclusion) It has been found that the price of thrashing of one ton of grain that characterizes the efficiency of utilizing grain harvesters depends on the price/efficiency ratio of a harvester, yield and harvesting conditions. Combine harvesters of a lower class with the optimum price/efficiency ratio are more preferable under favorable harvesting conditions. However, in case of the harvest period prolongation due to unfavorable harvesting conditions, combine harvesters of a higher class are more preferable.

The Effect of Social Class on Agency and Communion: Reconciling Identity-Based and Rank-Based Perspectives

How does social class affect people’s goals in social interactions? A rank-based perspective suggests actors from higher social classes (compared to lower social classes) have more agentic and less communal goals when interacting with same class or unspecified others. Focusing on targets’ social class, an identity-based perspective suggests the reverse: Actors should more strongly endorse communal (agentic) goals toward illegitimately lower class (higher class) compared to illegitimately higher class (lower class) targets, regardless of actors’ own social class. Three preregistered experiments (N = 2,023) manipulated actor’s social class and the nature of the target (illegitimately higher/lower class, same class, unspecified) and measured participants’ goals in imagined interactions using the Circumplex Scales of Intergroup Goals. The identity-based perspective received strong support: Across studies, actors expressed stronger agentic (communal) goals toward higher class (lower class) targets. The rank-based perspective received limited support, with relatively low-class (vs. relatively high-class) actors expressing stronger communal goals toward same-class targets.

Digital Technology: the Answer to the Art Historical Conundrum of A ccessibility?

The famous anthropologist Pierre Bourdieu argued that there is an “unnatural idea of inborn culture, of a gift of culture, bestowed on certain people by Nature.” [1] Bourdieu is arguing that people, who have not been born into a higher class, or who cannot receive a high level of education, are unable to appreciate and understand art. The study of art history is expensive, and often involves extremely high travel costs, thus making it inaccessible to anybody who does not enjoy the means to pursue it. How can we address this accessibility problem in the study of art history? Is there any way to bring art to the people who do not possess “inborn culture?” Bourdieu wrote his book on art and class in 1984, at a time when the computer, and its democratizing potential, was a new and little -understood invention. My research proposes that modern technology provides an answer to this problem, which has plagued the discipline of art history.&#x0D; &#x0D; This presentation will examine three research projects that I’ve been working on at Queen’s. Each project uses digital technologies to improve the general public’s knowledge and access to art. The projects are all different: the first focuses on creating a digital model of 18th - century Canterbury Cathedral based on a book from W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections, the second project works on understanding Herstmonceux Castle and medieval England through technology, and the third involves image processing for art historical investigations. Despite their differences, each project makes art accessible to people who do not possess Bourdieu’s definition of “inborn culture.”&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

A Band of Adventurers: Kalem’s Gauntier–Olcott Film Unit in Egypt

This article examines promotional material that surrounded the Kalem Company’s trip to Egypt in 1912. In 1911, the film unit headed by Sidney Olcott (director) and Gene Gauntier (writer and actress) went to Egypt and surrounding countries to make fiction films with a small group of Kalem actors and creative personnel. The stories of their travels and of their filmmaking process were circulated throughout Kalem’s own publicity material, in newspapers, and in the trade press. Using the company’s weekly publication, the Kalem Kalendar, and other publicity materials, this article demonstrates that Kalem promoted the filmmaking process – most strongly, the writing – and the travel involved in making these films, in order to convince exhibitors and audience members that their films were meant for a ‘higher class’ of clientele. Through the detailed news items about Gene Gauntier’s and Sidney Olcott’s film unit’s travel throughout Egypt and Palestine, the company positioned itself as a purveyor of quality films. Central to this promotion was the furthering of Gene Gauntier’s emerging popularity as a film writer.

Ambedkarite Philosophy of Reservation and Its Consequences

By philosophy of reservation system, we mean philosophical examination of the issues arising as a result of introduction, implementation with its acceptance and denial of the process of reservation system. My main intention is to analyze the problems and discuss prospects in connection with the philosophy of reservation system introduced in India. B.R. Ambedkar always tried to uplift the backward and lower sections of our society. He says that Hindus have an innate and inveterate conservatism and they have a religion incompatible with liberty, equality and fraternity. My point is that if we are going to initiate and incorporate the Ambedkarite thought of reservation for the betterment and upliftment of the weaker people of our society then those weaker people must be included in and have the benefit of reservation system irrespective of any caste and creed. But in practice it appears unreal and unjust to those weaker people of higher classes.

Triangulation Tracking of a Radially Propagating MHD Wave in the AIA 1600 Acoustic Power Maps in Active Region 12193

For decades it has been established that the amount of energy released by solar flares excites the acoustic oscillations propagating on the surface of the Sun (Wolff 1972). It is believed that these flares can excite velocity oscillations in active regions, especially those regions where a higher class solar flare has taken place (Kumar 2006). However, questions arise as to how the behaviors of acoustic oscillations within such a chaotic environment can birth other waves of the MHD type. Can we observe such events?

Analysis Criteria for Choosing Energy Efficient High-Quality Light Sources and Luminaires

The article analyses critera applying to the choice of energy efficient high quality light sources and luminaires, which are used in Russian domestic and international practice. It is found that national standards GOST P 54993–2012 and GOST P 54992– 2012 contain outdated criteria for determining indices and classes of energy efficiency of light sources and luminaires. They are taken from the 1998 EU Directive #98/11/EU “Electric lamps”, in which LED light sources and discharge lamps of high intensity were not included. A new Regulation of the European Union #874/2012/EU on energy labelling of electric lamps and luminaires, in which these light sources are taken into consideration, contains a new technique of determining classes of energy efficiency and new, higher classes are added. The article has carried out a comparison of calculations of the energy efficiency classes in accordance with GOST P 54993 and with Regulation #874/2012/EU, and it is found out that a calculation using GOST P 54993 gives underrated energy efficiency classes. This can lead to interdiction of export for certain light sources and luminaires, can discredit Russian domestic manufacturer light sources and does not correspond to the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO).